Guest guest Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 Hi ! I have some information for you regarding helmeting Rainee in Colorado. It sounds like you and I are in the same boat. As Debbie mentioned, the state of Colorado is not up to speed on plagiocephaly. I’d like to hear more about your situation. How old is Rainee? What is the condition of her head – mild, moderate, severe? What did your pediatrician say about it? Where do you live? It would probably be of great comfort to compare our situations as we move forward since it’s highly likely we’ll be dealing with the same specialists, or at least the same situation. We are taking our daughter Regan to be fitted for the STAR band this Wednesday, Dec 11. She is 14.5 months old and will receive the band just before she turns 15 months. She has a mild to moderate case of brachy asymmetry, which means the back of her head is flat, wide and tall. Her ears, face, forehead are fine. At this point, given Regan’s age, we really have no idea what kind of correction she’ll receive from the STAR band, but we remain optimistic. Our insurance is Kaiser Permanente of Colorado Springs, which is not paying for the band, which will cost around $1,300 -- $1,500. We would have researched this earlier, but our pediatrician told us our worries were a waste of time and her head would round out on its own. It turns out, like most pediatricians in CO, he has no idea what he’s talking about. Greg Smits is our orthotist. He is not a doctor, but a physical therapist trained to fit and adjust Orthomerica’s STAR Band. He works at the Outpatient Rehab Center of The Children’s Hospital in Denver. He’s fitted close to 20 heads. I think he has 5 other patients at this time. Greg Smits, Orthotist Outpatient Rehab Center The Children’s Hospital 1056 E. 19th Ave, 5th floor Denver, CO Greg’s assistant Sue: 303-400-8866 (You can call her directly to make an appt with him) Outpatient Rehab Center phone number: 303-861-6573 (The receptionist can forward you to Greg’s direct line and/or his voice mail. I don’t have his direct phone number, but Sue has that.) OTHER INFORMATION: We looked into using Cranial Technologies DOC Band, but the closest specialists authorized to fit this band are located in Phoenix, AZ and Kansas City, MO. We met with the orthotist in Kansas City, MO. Her name is Jan Wollard and she works for Rehab Designs of America in Kansas City, which is a licensed Cranial Technology DOC Band office. She gave us a lot of really good information and I’d love to have her help us, but for many reasons we can’t travel to/from Kansas City for adjustments. Greg Smits and the STAR Band seem to be a good alternative. Rehab Designs of America also has two offices in Denver and Englewood, but neither office is licensed by Cranial Tech to use the DOC Band like the Kansas City office is. I don’t think they even know about the DOC Band. The contact info for these two offices can be found at: http://www.rdausa.com/acrossUsa.asp I did not meet with anyone at the Englewood office, but… I did meet with an orthotist, Daryl, in the Denver office. He has fitted between 5 and 10 heads and sounds confident in his capabilities, but he has not used the STAR Band. Given Regan’s age I don’t have much time for research. I’m going with what I know is FDA approved and with Greg – who I think has more experience with the STAR Band than anyone else in the state of Colorado. I don’t know if Daryl uses FDA approved helmets. I believe he uses locally made helmets. He is familiar with active helmets vs. passive helmets. The one thing that had me worried about working with him is that he didn’t seem to value the importance of routine check ups for helmet adjustments and measurement/observation of correction. Greg Smits will and Jan Wollard would have had us come in every 2-3 weeks until Regan graduates from the helmet. We also met with the pediatric neurosurgeon department at The Children’s Hospital. They are NO HELP unless your child needs surgery. The neurosurgeons: Dr. Winston and Dr. Handler are against using helmets. They think they are purely a cosmetic enhancing tool. That’s as far as I’ve gone in obtaining info in Colorado. If you learn of any other orthotists that do this procedure in Colorado, I’d like to hear about them and I’d like to hear about your situation. Thanks! Norwicke 7430 Delmonico Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80919 (719) 599-0215 help for Rainee in CO Hi! My name is and I have a beautiful little foster baby with the most mis-shaped head I have ever seen. Can anyone recommend a doctor in the Denver/Aurora Colorado area that works with the helmets and headbands. I can't find anyone, and I seem to be running into people who don't understand why I would want to fix a problem purely for asthetic reasons. Rainee also has tort and recieves PT. I also belong to the Tort group. Thanks to anyone who can help! and Rainee For more plagio info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 , Thanks for your very thorough information. You really have done your homework. It sounds like you have chosen the best alternative for your situation. Marci (Mom to ) Oklahoma > Hi ! > > > > I have some information for you regarding helmeting Rainee in Colorado. It > sounds like you and I are in the same boat. As Debbie mentioned, the state > of Colorado is not up to speed on plagiocephaly. I'd like to hear more about > your situation. How old is Rainee? What is the condition of her head - mild, > moderate, severe? What did your pediatrician say about it? Where do you > live? It would probably be of great comfort to compare our situations as we > move forward since it's highly likely we'll be dealing with the same > specialists, or at least the same situation. > > > > We are taking our daughter Regan to be fitted for the STAR band this > Wednesday, Dec 11. She is 14.5 months old and will receive the band just > before she turns 15 months. She has a mild to moderate case of brachy > asymmetry, which means the back of her head is flat, wide and tall. Her > ears, face, forehead are fine. At this point, given Regan's age, we really > have no idea what kind of correction she'll receive from the STAR band, but > we remain optimistic. Our insurance is Kaiser Permanente of Colorado > Springs, which is not paying for the band, which will cost around $1,300 -- > $1,500. We would have researched this earlier, but our pediatrician told us > our worries were a waste of time and her head would round out on its own. It > turns out, like most pediatricians in CO, he has no idea what he's talking > about. > > > > Greg Smits is our orthotist. He is not a doctor, but a physical therapist > trained to fit and adjust Orthomerica's STAR Band. He works at the > Outpatient Rehab Center of The Children's Hospital in Denver. He's fitted > close to 20 heads. I think he has 5 other patients at this time. > > > > Greg Smits, Orthotist > > Outpatient Rehab Center > > The Children's Hospital > > 1056 E. 19th Ave, 5th floor > > Denver, CO > > Greg's assistant Sue: 303-400-8866 (You can call her directly to make an > appt with him) > > Outpatient Rehab Center phone number: 303-861-6573 (The receptionist can > forward you to Greg's direct line and/or his voice mail. I don't have his > direct phone number, but Sue has that.) > > > > OTHER INFORMATION: > > We looked into using Cranial Technologies DOC Band, but the closest > specialists authorized to fit this band are located in Phoenix, AZ and > Kansas City, MO. We met with the orthotist in Kansas City, MO. Her name is > Jan Wollard and she works for Rehab Designs of America in Kansas City, which > is a licensed Cranial Technology DOC Band office. She gave us a lot of > really good information and I'd love to have her help us, but for many > reasons we can't travel to/from Kansas City for adjustments. Greg Smits and > the STAR Band seem to be a good alternative. > > > > Rehab Designs of America also has two offices in Denver and Englewood, but > neither office is licensed by Cranial Tech to use the DOC Band like the > Kansas City office is. I don't think they even know about the DOC Band. The > contact info for these two offices can be found at: > http://www.rdausa.com/acrossUsa.asp I did not meet with anyone at the > Englewood office, but. > > > > I did meet with an orthotist, Daryl, in the Denver office. He has fitted > between 5 and 10 heads and sounds confident in his capabilities, but he has > not used the STAR Band. Given Regan's age I don't have much time for > research. I'm going with what I know is FDA approved and with Greg - who I > think has more experience with the STAR Band than anyone else in the state > of Colorado. I don't know if Daryl uses FDA approved helmets. I believe he > uses locally made helmets. He is familiar with active helmets vs. passive > helmets. The one thing that had me worried about working with him is that he > didn't seem to value the importance of routine check ups for helmet > adjustments and measurement/observation of correction. Greg Smits will and > Jan Wollard would have had us come in every 2-3 weeks until Regan graduates > from the helmet. > > > > We also met with the pediatric neurosurgeon department at The Children's > Hospital. They are NO HELP unless your child needs surgery. The > neurosurgeons: Dr. Winston and Dr. Handler are against using helmets. They > think they are purely a cosmetic enhancing tool. > > > > That's as far as I've gone in obtaining info in Colorado. If you learn of > any other orthotists that do this procedure in Colorado, I'd like to hear > about them and I'd like to hear about your situation. Thanks! > > > > Norwicke > > 7430 Delmonico Drive > > Colorado Springs, CO 80919 > > (719) 599-0215 > > > > help for Rainee in CO > > > > Hi! My name is and I have a beautiful little foster baby > with the most mis-shaped head I have ever seen. > > Can anyone recommend a doctor in the Denver/Aurora Colorado area that > works with the helmets and headbands. I can't find anyone, and I > seem to be running into people who don't understand why I would want > to fix a problem purely for asthetic reasons. > > Rainee also has tort and recieves PT. I also belong to the Tort > group. > > Thanks to anyone who can help! > > > and Rainee > > > For more plagio info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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